Deaths
Deaths
(September 08, 2004)

David Collins

David Collins, 55, a longtime member of the Palo Alto community, died peacefully at his home in La Honda Aug. 21.

He was born Aug. 14, 1949, the fourth of five children of Carroll "Pete" and Elaine Collins. He grew up in Redwood City and attended Mt. Carmel Elementary School; Bellarmine and Sequoia high schools; and College of San Mateo and San Jose State.

In his early professional career he was an art director for the Palo Alto Weekly from 1982-88 and a graphic designer for Stanford University. Later, he worked independently in graphics, writing, photography and consulting.

Nothing escaped his notice -- politics, art, sports, movies, books -- the full gamut of life. For example, his Neo-Lizard Holiday Invitational Golf Tournament, played the Tuesday between Christmas and New Year's Day each year, openly encouraged lying, cheating and general disrespect for all things golf -- and included many golf aficionados among its ranks.

He retained friendships from all phases of his life. He helped organize the 40th reunion for his elementary class at Mt. Carmel. He instituted a street party for his current neighborhood. Friends from his early newspaper days were among his final visitors.

Until health issues intervened, he volunteered for an international human rights organization. He made trips to Northern Ireland to interview a Nobel Peace Prize winner and later arranged a series of fundraisers for her when she visited the Bay Area.

He survived a life-threatening bout with Hodgkin's Disease at age 19 -- an experience that, he suggested, may have radiated some of his attitude out of him.

He is survived by his siblings, Catherine Wilkinson of Burlingame, Carroll J. Collins III of Redwood City, Donna Krasnow of Pacific Grove and Mary Cameron of Portland, Ore. Patty Cullen and her daughter, Shannon, played an important role in his life.

At his request, the celebration of his life will be private. His siblings request that, in lieu of flowers, friends send contributions to Our Lady of Mount Carmel School, 301 Grand St., Redwood City, CA 94062.

Jean Auld Grotewohl

Jean Auld Grotewohl, 77, a 46-year resident of Menlo Park, died Aug. 21 in Roseville, Calif., where she had lived since 2001.

She was born March 11, 1927, in Chicago, Ill., earned a bachelor's degree in music at Northwestern University and then moved with her husband and parents to Menlo Park in 1955. She was a devoted daughter, providing years of care for her mother, Neva Auld, who died in 2001 at the age of 108.

She was a tireless volunteer in a variety of philanthropic endeavors: PTAs, Menlo Mothers' Club, the Family Service Agency, the Mid-Peninsula League of the San Francisco Symphony and the Menlo-Atherton Auxiliary to the Retarded Children's Guild (now the Community Association for Rehabilitation), among others. She also golfed regularly with the Women's 18-Hole Group at the Stanford Golf Course.

In addition, she was a popular piano teacher, giving lessons in her home to hundreds of mid-Peninsula children over a span of several decades. Her spring recitals were popular cultural events, attracting not only current students and their parents, but alums and outside friends. Her reputation accompanied her to Roseville, where she was able to establish a thriving practice shortly after her arrival.

Over the years she played piano for Sunday Schools, first at the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church and later at the First Church of Christ Scientist in Menlo Park.

She is survived by her son, David Grotewohl of Sacramento; son, Mark Grotewohl of Sacramento; daughter, Julie ten Doesschate of Manhattan Beach; and seven grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held in her honor Thursday, Sept. 9, at 11 a.m. at the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, 950 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Family Service Agency of San Mateo County, 24 Second Ave., San Mateo, CA 94401-3828.

Peter Haptas

Peter Haptas, 22, a former resident of Palo alto, died unexpectedly Aug. 25 from an undiagnosed heart condition.

He graduated from Gunn High School in 2000 and was a student at the Art Institute of California in San Francisco, where he lived.

He is survived by his parents, John Haptas and Kristine Samuelson of San Francisco; and his sister, Maya Haptas of Pittsburgh, Pa.

Friends and family gathered for a memorial service Aug. 28 at the Swedenborgian Church in San Francisco.

Donations in his memory may be made to Huckleberry Youth Programs, 3310 Geary Blvd., San Francisco, CA 94118 (www.huckleberryyouth.org/giving.html).

Rebecca Hochman

Rebecca Hochman, 93, a resident of Los Altos, died Aug. 26.

Born in Krasnayarsk, Siberia, on Dec. 25, 1910, the last of six children of a well-known rabbi, she immigrated to the United States with her father, mother and only brother, after a long difficult trip through Russia when she was 22. The rest of her siblings remained in Russia, but most perished in the Holocaust.

She married Philip Hochman in New York City, who predeceased her by 20 years, and spent the majority of her adult life living in Sunland-Tujunga, Calif., and later Palm Desert prior to moving to Los Altos last year. Her main love in life was her family to whom she devoted her life's energies. She spoke four languages and loved reading and conversation. In spite of many health problems for many years, she rarely complained.

She is survived by her daughter, Esther Wojcicki of Stanford; her son, Lee Hochman of Stanford; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Services have been held. Donations may be made to the Global Fund for Women, 1375 Sutter St., Suite 400, San Francisco, CA 94109.

The son of Charmien and Hal Moreno, he was born July 11, 1948. He graduated from Palo Alto High School and earned an associate of arts degree at Foothill College. He was employed during the past five years as a buyer for Medimmune Vaccines, Inc. in Mountain View.

He is survived by his father, Hal Moreno; his stepmother, Marion Moreno; a sister, Susan Hassitt; a sister-in-law, Susan Moreno; two stepbrothers, David and Tom Farrell; and a stepsister, Nancy Freitas. He was preceded in dead by his brother, David H. Moreno, and his mother, Charmien Moreno.

Born in Windsor, Vt., she trained as a nurse in Boston, Mass., and Montreal, and later as a radiology technician. She moved to Palo Alto to work at the Palo Alto Clinic. There she met her husband-to-be, Tom Ord, who worked as a psychiatrist at the Palo Alto Veterans Hospital for 30 years.

The mother of three children, she cared diligently and lovingly for her daughter, Lynn, who weighed 1 lb. 5 oz. at birth. Lynn lived until age 10. She also lost a beloved son, David, who passed away shortly after graduating from the University of Arizona.

Known as a homemaker and an expert in knitting, crocheting and other handcrafts, she became an active and passionate Democrat in the early '90s. She was a lead staff person at the Palo Alto/Mountain View Democratic headquarters for six elections and received commendation from the Santa Clara County Democratic Party for her dedication and service.

She is survived by her husband of 38 years, Tom Ord; a son, Tom Jr.; and two brothers, Dennis and Bennie White.

A memorial service was held in her honor.

Douglas Weber

Douglas M. Weber, 47, a former resident of Palo Alto, died of heart failure Aug. 20 while hiking in the Italian Alps.

Raised in Palo Alto while his father was director of University Libraries at Stanford University, he graduated from Gunn High School in 1975. After military service in Germany and working at Lockheed Space and Missile Division, he graduated from Santa Clara University and earned graduate degrees in philosophy from the Universities of Notre Dame and Nebraska.

He taught philosophy at Creighton University and at Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, Neb.

His photography recently won him many awards. In 1984 he was a church missionary in a prison in Medellin, Columbia. He traveled with his father to Thailand, Nepal, Zimbabwe and Botswana, and was hiking with him in the region of Mt. Blanc at the time of his death.